“And he brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful, whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter” (Esther 2:7).
For the month of December we will be dealing with God’s calling to us, as women, in the world. Our study begins with the familiar story of Esther. We are going to see how God used her to be a witness in her world. When you think of all her time of adversity, she may not seem like a good candidate. Esther was a Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, who loved her as if she were his own. She was taken into Babylonian captivity, which meant she had to adapt to a foreign land and culture. In spite of her circumstances, God had a plan for her life.
The same may apply to us. Even when faced with trials which often test our faith, God desires our willingness to surrender to His will in spite of them. As the story of Esther unfolds we see the hand of God, though God’s name isn’t mentioned in her book. The events in Esther’s life were setting the stage for her to better serve God in her world. What about our world? What kind of effect do we have on those we encounter? I’ve often heard this statement, “life is what happens when you’ve made other plans.” This may have been true with Esther. She may not have intended to serve God as a missionary but; her faith in God led her to answer His call.
Sue Winchester
Missouri
Pray Together: Pray God’s guidance for Home Missionaries searching for affordable property and working through building permit and licensing processes.
